“Devil: This is the lake of lava that you’ll be spending eternity in.
Me: Actually we’re underground so it would be magma.
Devil: You realize this is why you’re here.”
Yup that’s me, a different subject perhaps, but me.
Of my many jobs I think my most favorite was working in a hat store. I was the assistant manager, the store was privately owned, not a chain. I was known around Burlington as “The Hat Store Lady”.
I acquired extensive, if esoteric, knowledge of hats. When generally accepted but incorrect information gets put in my way, I get grumpy.
When people refer to any old straw hat as a ‘panama hat” or a Western style hat as a Stetson I start to twitch. When people try to sound all hoity-toity, like they know what they are talking about, I tend to the pedantic.
Panama hat does NOT refer to a style of hat. It describes the TYPE of straw used to make the hat and that straw is called toquilla straw and it is produced in only one place – Ecuador. If your straw hat is made from any other kind of straw then it is NOT a Panama hat. The processing of the straw is complex and labor intensive which is why genuine Panama straw hats are damn expensive. That $20 “Panama Straw hat” on Amazon? Not on your life, boobalah. False advertising.
Stetson – NOT a style, it’s the name of the manufacturer. They make fabulous hats – in every style you can possibly imagine (including baseball caps). But if I ask you what style hat you’re wearing please don’t tell me Stetson.
Yes, sometimes I get sloppy and ask what kind of hat but even then – I’m talking about style and you might be forgiven if you answer with the name of the manufacturer. (BTW – here is the link to the Stetson web site. )
My personal preference in Western style hats is the ‘gambler’. I just bought a straw ‘gambler’ (and no, it’s not a Panama – I can’t afford one.) I would love a wool ‘gambler’ but even on sale I can’t bring myself to spend that much on a hat (the straw was on sale – Score!)
You realize I can rattle on with many more examples, don’t you? But breathe easy I’ll stop here.
I just needed to get this off my chest – it’s Summer time and people are prattling on about their ‘Panama’ hats which aren’t and it irks me and I want to correct educate them but I know it wouldn’t be welcome and would certainly get me that special place in hell.
Subject to Change Without Notice 
Huh, I had no idea about any of this.
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Oh I could have gone on and on and…😁 I've always been a hat fancier and that job was so in my wheelhouse – so fun! Plus I amassed a fabulous collection of hats which, of course I no longer have because…it would have been kinda dumb to wear them around the house (since I stopped going out anywhere a long time ago.)
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I didn't know about the Panama hat misnomer, but I did know about the Stetson one. My father wore a Stetson. The one that looks like the Pure Open Road, as I recall. I had no idea how expensive those hats are now.
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I remember some web site where a guy was going on and on about Frank Sinatra's hat NOT being a fedora, but a trilby. He said Sinatra as a young man was skinny, so a Fedora would have looked silly. I'd like to know what hat types for: Raymond Reddington in “Blacklist,” and Indiana Jones.
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They were always pricey – top quality and design – you get what you pay for…a fine, fine hat.
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True enough. In the US we don't use the term Trilby so much, we simply describe it as 'narrow brim'. A fedora has a wider brim. Whether someone wears a narrow brim or a wide brim would depend on their body size. I haven't watched Blacklist in years but given James Spader's size I would hope it was a fedora (wide brim). As for Indiana Jones, I had to look up a photo of him – the brim of his hat looks wider than a classic fedora and the crown higher -I just did some digging around – Indiana Jones's hat would be called a Western fedora – wider brim – the fedora designation coming from the shape of the crown and the crease/dent. I also saw some trilbys with VERY narrow brims that were more like pork pies with a fedora crown – The shape of the crown and the crease/dent will be the first defining feature of a style, the brim being secondary – you also have stiff vs soft brims, diamond shaped crowns (like the fedora) and round crowns (like a derby or a boater or a gambler). A lot of this is open to interpretation by the designer. BUT – a Panama hat ALWAYS refers to the type of straw and not the style. I can be loosey-goosey about a lots of hat things but not that one! BTW – researching hats? Major rabbit hole but so fun!
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I could get into hats, I think–but I've never been a real snappy dresser. However, I'm pretty bald and I should start protecting the top of my head from the UVs. I've started wearing a ball cap when I go out if I'm on foot. I still don't think it's right to wear a hat while eating out, however, so I set it down when I'm seated. I'm 6'0″ and have wide shoulders so I would go with a fedora, I think, but I'm still not quite ready to cross that line. Maybe if I wore suits all the time . . .
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Goody, l personally think you should write about hats – l would love to know more. I used to love wearing hats, these days they drive me insane. Suze wants me to wear one when l am out back playing with the worms, but they itch, l need to get a nice dropsy type of hat not too tight, but soft and comfortable – not a baseball cap – DeTest them!, what would you suggest Grace?
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If you're balding then yes, a hat/cap is essential. The fedora style comes in many fabrics and can be as sporty or dressy as you like. Certainly a straw fedora with a spiffy hatband for the Summer should do nicely. You might want to start with a “flat cap” but perhaps stay away from a 'newsboy'. Thing is, first time around, you really need to try them on, once you find your style then you can buy on-line. Check out this site for a wide variety of caps. I've chosen the 'flat cap' page but please noodle around the site. Kangol is a brand but some folks refer to “Kangol” as a style sigh they come in many fabrics/colors – lightweight for warm weather, wools for the Winter. They are easy to wear – you just have to see if they suit you. (Good to know that there are still some gentlemen left in the world who know to remove their hat indoors, particularly restaurants.) Village Hat Shop – https://www.villagehatshop.com/category/75/1/flat-caps.html
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I don't know what a 'dropsy' hat is LOL But if just something for the gardening to protect your head and shade your eyes a bit – a bucket hat that isn't too deep in a nice breathable cotton works. They are a bit dorky in my opinion but they do the job and some folks carry them off better than others. Bucket hats are sometimes called 'fishing' hats – similar styling. But not to be confused with “Greek fisherman caps”
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I'm not much of a hat person. I've never liked wearing them and have always thought they look stupid on me. I didn't know about the Panama hat or the Stetson. Now that I'm educated I'll be sure not to make that mistake 🙂
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And I thank you for it…it is kinda specialized information and inconsequential but once it gets embedded in your brain…
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Well I just had a good eductaion on hats. Thank you! I will never refer to a hat as Panama again for a blanket statement for a style of hat. I feel the same when people say a direct flight. They mean a non stop flight. A direct flight makes one stop BUT you don't have to change planes. which is very different than a connecting flight because those you get off and change planes. That irks me like nobodies business!!
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I'm not sure I've ever uttered the words Panama hat! I had to Google what it is. I look terrible in hats but am going on a fishing trip tomorrow so I've actually been looking for one that doesn't look too terrible. Running out of time and luck!
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Ah a bucket hat!! I think that might just do the trick!! Well done Grace, l have been busy as cripes since Sunday working outside and l think l am about as burnt as l can be, but the bucket is looking like the right dropsy to me, so thank you – l'll take a snapshot 🙂
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Having specialized knowledge can be a real PITA because in the long run it is inconsequential but for those of us in the know it drives us batshit when folks get it wrong…
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I just got notice 4pm on Tuesday about your comment – the hat you chose looks just fine and a hat when out in the sun is a MUST – actually a hat that shades your face and eyes outdoors is a must year round – those UV rays come right through clouds and overcast. And it's not that you look terrible in hats it's that you're not wearing the right hat!
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I just discovered a hat that might work as well – it has a wider brim – it's called a 'booney' hat and if you have any army/navy surplus stores around they might have them. There are bucket hats with a flap down the back to protect your neck – they are truly the dorkiest things I've ever seen but the men who bought them (yes we sold them in our store) said they were great for working outdoors in all kinds of weather…(Also I have just seen baseball caps with the neck protection flap but the baseball cap style doesn't shade your face as much as a plain ole bucket/fishing hat.
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Boonie is way better an idea, thank you Grace, just bought two, one for Suze and myself too, with neck flaps 🙂
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Maybe you could do a write up for summer hat wearing … ?
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I didn't think you wanted a wide brim hat and therefore went with the bucket- I think you could carry off both styles. I didn't know a “boonie” hat was called that LOL I don't recall what we called them, if anything. I didn't do the ordering so I don't know how they were listed in sales catalogues. They belong in the work/outdoor category. The neck protector flap, dorky tho it may be, is brilliant for gardening work, where you spend so much time bent over and your neck just gets fried, also in the rain because it keeps the rain from going down into your shirt or jacket. I hope you got Suze a pretty one…because I saw some that were made of floral printed fabrics.
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